Pet the saucy princess

Adrianna hummed softly to herself as she brushed her long, dark hair, a smile illuminating her face. The reflection in the mirror revealed a dark, ugly scar that marred her face, extending from her nose to her lips. Despite this, her smile remained radiant, her cheeks blushing like a ripe tomato as she reminisced about the passionate kiss she shared with her boyfriend, Gray, just moments before he hurriedly left her house, claiming to attend to something important.

Adrianna cleared her throat, pinching her right cheek and pouting playfully at her reflection. "Anna! What's gotten into you? Get a grip!" she scolded herself, dropping the brush onto her makeup table.

But then, she remembered that Gray hadn't eaten since the night before. Exhaustion and hunger surely plagued him now. "Oh, Adrianna, why are you so thoughtless? You claim to love him, yet you can't even take care of him," she chastised herself, slapping her face with her palms and sporting a small pout.

Sitting down on her chair, she placed her fingers under her jaw, lost in thought as she pondered on what to do. She couldn't help but worry for Gray. She knew him well enough to understand that he disliked surprise visits. In fact, they had previously argued about this matter. The woman next door, who overheard their argument, speculated that Gray might be cheating on Adrianna, hence his aversion to her unexpected visits.

Adrianna couldn't bring herself to believe it. She knew Gray would never betray her, regardless of the circumstances. He had even professed his love for her when she believed herself to be ugly. Her appearance was so repulsive that it could make an eye socket pop out or fall off, yet he still loved her.

After mulling it over for a few minutes, Adrianna decided to visit Gray with some food. Perhaps seeing his favorite delicacy, lovingly prepared by her, would soften his heart and make him forget their disagreement. She knew Gray to be a kind and gentle person, not only towards her but to others as well.

With a half-smile plastered on her face, she entered her small kitchen to prepare Gray's favorite meal.

*

Adrianna inhaled deeply, reveling in the delicious aroma that filled her nostrils and revived her senses. But no matter how much she yearned to partake in the meal, she had made it solely for Gray.

Humming her tune once again, she placed the food safely in a bag before making her way to the door with determined steps. After unlocking it, she stepped outside and closed the door behind her.

Adrianna bit her lower lip, placing her hand on her chest. Restlessness washed over her, her bones tingling with a sense of foreboding. Never before had she felt such unease, even in the face of people's disapproving gazes, as if she were a demon.

She took a deep breath, followed by a slow exhale, attempting to calm her racing heart. "You can do this, Adrianna. I believe in you," she muttered, bolstering her confidence.

Perhaps she was scared of how Gray would react when he saw her in his mansion today. Thankfully, his mansion was only a short eight-minute walk from her own. Approaching the massive dark gate, she tapped her knuckles against it, patiently waiting for John, the security guard, to open it for her.

Tapping her feet nervously on the floor, she felt a mixture of nervousness and something else she couldn't quite place-fear. The gate creaked open, snapping her out of her thoughts. She turned to face John, dressed in his blue security uniform, who greeted her with a smile before allowing her entry.

"Is your boss here?" Adrianna asked, taking in the beautiful and well-kept surroundings.

"Yes, he is, Miss Adrianna," John replied politely, and Adrianna gave a small bow before stepping into the mansion.

***

Adrianna ascended the elegant glass staircase leading to Gray's room. Standing before his door, she prepared to knock when something froze her in place. Her eyes widened in shock, her ears assaulted by loud, harsh moans echoing from within his room.

As she stood there, immobilized, the cacophony only grew louder. But what pierced her heart and sliced into her chest was the realization that the source of the moans was her beloved boyfriend, Gray. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision like a fountain of despair.

Adrianna couldn't contain herself any longer. She burst into the room, shocking Gray and the woman he was intimate with, halting their activities. "No... No, please continue. Go on, f**k her. Why did you stop?" she said mockingly yet painfully, her hurt impossible to conceal. Clasping her hands together, she stared at them.

How could she have been so blind? It wasn't the fact that he slept with someone that pained her, but rather the realization that the woman he had been with was her stepsister. This was the same woman who had driven a wedge between Adrianna and her own mother, causing their separation.